“I’m not fucking crazy! You’re only here to keep up appearances. I’m just a burden to you! I know it, now. I know it, now. I’m not crazy. I’m not crazy. I’m not crazy–”
“Thomas! Christian! I need your assistance in room 106. Bring the restraints!”
Twelve Days Prior
“Cody, you really don’t have to attend school today. You know that I take your studies more seriously than anyone, but I won’t be mad if you return home and get you some more rest. I can’t have you getting sick again.”
“Mother, I told you, I’m fine. I’m a little tired, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. I’ll just make sure I sleep well tonight. I’ll be okay.”
Kelly gazed at her son as he tried to fight back a third yawn in as many minutes. It was clear the night terrors were getting worse because he was starting to avoid sleep like the plague. The last time she saw him sleeping was more than forty-eight hours ago, and judging by the raccoon rings around his eyes, she was sure that had actually been the last.
“Okay, I’ll lay off for now, but I’m going to talk to Dr. Cruson about this. I don’t like this at all. You look like you can fall over any minute, and after everything we’ve been through these past six months, I’m not taking any chances.”
“Mother, I’m fine. The doctors said that this is normal. It’s just a sign that my memories are coming back.”
Kelly bit back the sarcastic remark, but couldn’t stop the snort. The doctors continuously fed her lines about how some amnesiacs fight the return of their memories, which lead to night terrors, but those doctors weren’t the ones that had to deal with a fifteen-year-old boy screaming out pleas for help and begging to not be killed in the middle of the night. The first few times it happened, she had to deal with sirens and several squad cars parked on her lawn. Considering it had been three in the morning, it was quite the spectacle.
Of course, the worst part of all of their troubles was that Cody still didn’t remember anything about his personal life prior to six months ago, including her. He excelled at math and science; was well read about historical and world events, including things even his tutors didn’t know, hence their firings; yet he couldn’t recall one friend or relative’s name or face. All things considered, however, Kelly was more than happy to take him any way he came after almost losing him.
“Okay, okay, I’ll drop it. I don’t want you to feel like I’m nagging you; I’m just worried. After watching you lie in a hospital bed, covered in tubes, practically dead to the world, I can’t help but to worry. For three weeks, I didn’t know whether to plan for a funeral or a homecoming…”
For long moments, Kelly’s face looked haunted, only to relax seconds later.
“But you pulled through. You woke up, healed perfectly, made up all of your final assignments from ninth grade, and now you’re Mr. 4.0, and I’ve never been more proud of you. I just worry; I want you to be okay.”
“I am okay. You don’t have to worry about me, even though I know you’re going to anyway.”
Kelly looked at her beaming son, and couldn’t help but to smile back. Her ex-husband may have gotten the eyes, but the wispy, flaxen hair and naturally cheeky grin was all hers.
“Damn right. Now, off with you. I see you constantly glancing at the clock. There was a time that I couldn’t pay you to be on time for school, now I’m the one getting the side-eye,” she said while shaking her head, still smiling. Instantly, Cody grabbed her in a quick hug, before making a run for it.
“Cody, wait! Am I picking up Sean, too?”
Already halfway to the school’s main entrance, Cody quickly turned to reply, “I’m unsure. I’ll find out before the day is over,” and then ran inside.
***
“Okay class, everyone is well aware of who America’s first president was, as well as who our current president is, but there were
“Thomas! Christian! I need your assistance in room 106. Bring the restraints!”
Twelve Days Prior
“Cody, you really don’t have to attend school today. You know that I take your studies more seriously than anyone, but I won’t be mad if you return home and get you some more rest. I can’t have you getting sick again.”
“Mother, I told you, I’m fine. I’m a little tired, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. I’ll just make sure I sleep well tonight. I’ll be okay.”
Kelly gazed at her son as he tried to fight back a third yawn in as many minutes. It was clear the night terrors were getting worse because he was starting to avoid sleep like the plague. The last time she saw him sleeping was more than forty-eight hours ago, and judging by the raccoon rings around his eyes, she was sure that had actually been the last.
“Okay, I’ll lay off for now, but I’m going to talk to Dr. Cruson about this. I don’t like this at all. You look like you can fall over any minute, and after everything we’ve been through these past six months, I’m not taking any chances.”
“Mother, I’m fine. The doctors said that this is normal. It’s just a sign that my memories are coming back.”
Kelly bit back the sarcastic remark, but couldn’t stop the snort. The doctors continuously fed her lines about how some amnesiacs fight the return of their memories, which lead to night terrors, but those doctors weren’t the ones that had to deal with a fifteen-year-old boy screaming out pleas for help and begging to not be killed in the middle of the night. The first few times it happened, she had to deal with sirens and several squad cars parked on her lawn. Considering it had been three in the morning, it was quite the spectacle.
Of course, the worst part of all of their troubles was that Cody still didn’t remember anything about his personal life prior to six months ago, including her. He excelled at math and science; was well read about historical and world events, including things even his tutors didn’t know, hence their firings; yet he couldn’t recall one friend or relative’s name or face. All things considered, however, Kelly was more than happy to take him any way he came after almost losing him.
“Okay, okay, I’ll drop it. I don’t want you to feel like I’m nagging you; I’m just worried. After watching you lie in a hospital bed, covered in tubes, practically dead to the world, I can’t help but to worry. For three weeks, I didn’t know whether to plan for a funeral or a homecoming…”
For long moments, Kelly’s face looked haunted, only to relax seconds later.
“But you pulled through. You woke up, healed perfectly, made up all of your final assignments from ninth grade, and now you’re Mr. 4.0, and I’ve never been more proud of you. I just worry; I want you to be okay.”
“I am okay. You don’t have to worry about me, even though I know you’re going to anyway.”
Kelly looked at her beaming son, and couldn’t help but to smile back. Her ex-husband may have gotten the eyes, but the wispy, flaxen hair and naturally cheeky grin was all hers.
“Damn right. Now, off with you. I see you constantly glancing at the clock. There was a time that I couldn’t pay you to be on time for school, now I’m the one getting the side-eye,” she said while shaking her head, still smiling. Instantly, Cody grabbed her in a quick hug, before making a run for it.
“Cody, wait! Am I picking up Sean, too?”
Already halfway to the school’s main entrance, Cody quickly turned to reply, “I’m unsure. I’ll find out before the day is over,” and then ran inside.
***
“Okay class, everyone is well aware of who America’s first president was, as well as who our current president is, but there were
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